Whoa, everybody please chill down. First, I will admit, I may have made a mistake buying two. But let me explain my reasoning, and give some background. And yes, I did a lot of research, so this was not an impulse buy.
I have a 6 foot 100 g display tank that is very mature, going for 10 years or so. We just moved into this house 7 months ago, so it was all inherited. The display is doing well with the fish and corals, but is full of aiptasia, so that is why I wanted a Copperband.
I tried a single Copperband back last Aug. Didn't have a QT tank ready, so put him in with the other fish. Problem was I have a bully yellow tang that would harass him, and kept him to one corner of the tank. Despite that, he would eat stuff in the live rocks, and picked away at small aiptaisia. However, I could not get him to eat any of frozen and other foods that the rest of my fish ate. Even tried chopped up live clams, and would put them into a little container with holes in it for him to pick out. But soon the other fish figured that out, and again, he could not compete with them.
So after 2 months, he was getting very skinny indeed, and I returned him to the pet shop. At least he never did get sick, and if I had a QT tank, I think I could have saved him.
Since then, I have successfully introduced several other fish into the main display tank with no losses. But each time this yellow tank harassed them for a few days, so I know that will be the challenge with the Copperband(s).
Now I finally have a good QT tank set up (doubles as a Refugium when no new fish), seeded with aiptasia, and wanted to try the Copperband route again. My thinking with 2 is that is the yellow tang's attention would be divided. This actually worked with my other fish that I introduced successfully. Also, I found that when in QT, fish teach each other to feed (monkey see, monkey do).
Anyway, at the pet shop they had 4 Copperbands. 2 were in the open seemingly happy, doing what Copperbands do, looking for food on the bottom, and didn't show any aggression towards each other. The other 2 were cowering behind a pipe in the corner. So I bought the 2 that seemed like they were getting along and were looking for food.
When home in the QT, unfortunately, one did bully the other, so I separated them with the divider. But the monkey do, see thing, still worked, and it took me only a couple days to get them both eating Mysis shrimp. Then I would give them a chopped up live clam, and again they seemed to take cues from each other about going after food. Now I also have them eating freeze dried Mysis shrimp. I also have an Azure Damselfish in there with them to get any uneaten scraps. He is very peaceful, so no problem there, and I think he too, is teaching them to eat.
My plan is to fatten them up and eating a variety of foods before putting them into the display tank. But I am not sure if I will put them both in. If the aggression continues, may have to sell or return one of the Copperbands. But for now, want to fatten them up first in the Refugium. Good news is that they are definitely eating well, and no sign of any disease.
Like I said initially, they seemed to get along fine the first 3 weeks, and only yesterday bickered at each other through the divider. I think it may actually be a sign of vigor, as they are slowly gaining back their strength from their ordeals in the supply chain.
But will keep a close eye on them, and will see what happens.
Reef Pilot
|